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Pennsylvania expects to receive $212 million over 15 years as part of a multi-state settlement with the Sackler family, who controlled Purdue Pharma, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Thursday.
Purdue manufactured the powerful opioid OxyContin, which fueled an epidemic of addiction and overdoses around the country. The family and business engaged in deceptive marketing practices, telling prescribers that the drug was less potent and addictive than in reality.
“No dollar amount could ever replace what has been lost due to the opioid epidemic, but this settlement will go a long way in bolstering treatment resources and helping Pennsylvanians achieve recovery,” Sunday said in a statement. “This epidemic, no doubt, was fueled by Purdue Pharma’s manufacturing and deceptive marketing of OxyContin, a highly potent and addictive drug. Dependency on the drug ruined countless lives, while the Sackler family and Purdue made more than $35 billion from its distribution, profiting off of the suffering of others.”
The settlement, which was reached with 15 states and other parties, will total $7.4 billion, paid out to various parties over 15 years.
The Sackler family itself will pay $6.5 billion, and Purdue Pharma will pay $900 million. That money is intended to support treatment, prevention and recovery programs for opioid addicts.
The settlement will also end the Sackler family’s control of Purdue Pharma, and they will no longer be allowed to sell opiates in the U.S. A board of trustees selected by parties in affected states, along with creditors, will later determine what happens to the company, according to Sunday’s press release.
The settlement must still be approved in court. A previous settlement was rejected by the Supreme Court in 2024 and deemed too protective of the Sacklers. Notably, that agreement shielded the family from future litigation related to their role in the opioid epidemic.
A large portion of the funds in this settlement, $1.5 billion, would be paid out in the first three years. States, local governments, and others would all receive shares.
Other states involved in the lawsuit include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.